WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE DISCIPLES IN OBEDIENCE TO OUR COMMAND OF THE GREAT COMMISSION OF JESUS. WE ARE ALL GIFTED WITH THE ABILITY TO LEAD OTHERS TO CHRIST. AS WE ARE REMINDED, 1 PETER 3:15-16, “IF SOMEONE ASKS ABOUT YOUR HOPE AS A BELIEVER, ALWAYS BE READY TO EXPLAIN IT. BUT DO THIS IN A GENTLE AND RESPECTFUL WAY.”
LEADING OTHERS TO JESUS AND CONVINCING THEM TO DO SO BY OUR WORDS, ACTIONS, AND LIFESTYLE, IS A DAILY, PATIENT-DRIVEN, AND UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING JOURNEY. THE ONE THING LACKING IN EVANGELISM IS THE TIME-LINE.
WE WILL NOT FIND A DEADLINE IN SCRIPTURE. JESUS DID NOT GIVE US A TIME-LIMIT WHEREBY WE “FAIL THE MISSION” IF WE DON’T LEAD SOMEONE TO HIM BY A CERTAIN DATE OR TIME.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE RESULTS WERE NEVER OUR RESPONSIBILITY. FAITHFULNESS TO LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL, TO TEACH AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS AND TO AUTHENTICALLY LIVE OUT JESUS TO THE WORLD AS GOD’S AMBASSIDOR IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. LIVING WITHIN COMMUNITY AND BUILDING AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE, ALONG WITH LIVING LIKE JESUS BEFORE THEM, WILL GET THEM THERE….EVENTUALLY.
WE SIMPLY NEED TO LIVE IN SUCH A SELFLESS, SACRIFICIAL, AND HOLY WAY THAT PROVES OUR FAITH IS REAL AND CONVINCES THEM TO COME DOWN OUT OF THE TREE LIKE ZACCHAEUS!
ZACCHAEUS WANTED TO SEE JESUS. GREATLY DESPISED AND CONSIDERED THE “WORST OF THE WORST,” HE WAS IN NEED OF MERCY. HE HAD BEEN SEEKING IT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT IS HE IS THE ONE WHO WAS WITH THE PHARISEE IN THE TEMPLE BEATING HIS CHEST AND CRYING OUT “LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON ME A SINNER!”
ALTHOUGH IT WAS CONSIDERED SOCIALLY UNDIGNIFIED TO CLIMB THE TREE, HE GAVE IT NO SECOND THOUGHT TO ASCEND UP UPON THE BRANCHES TO SEE OVER THE HEADS OF THE CROWD. HE WAS DESPERATE FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. HE GETS IT!
JESUS SEES HIM, SINGLES HIM OUT, AND STOPS TO ENGAGE ZACCHAEUS IN CONVERSATION. THIS IS NO ORDINARY DIALOGUE. IN FACT, JESUS SAYS RATHER DIRECTLY, “QUICK, COME DOWN! I MUST STAY AT YOUR HOUSE.” THIS IS WORDED AS A MANDATE, NOT AS A REQUEST. IT’S THE ONLY TIME IN ALL THE GOSPELS WHERE JESUS DIRECTLY “INVITED HIMSELF” TO BE SOMEONE’S GUEST.
ZACCHAEUS DIDN’T HESITATE. HE CAME DOWN “IN GREAT EXCITEMENT AND JOY.” THE MERCY HE BEGGED FOR IN THE TEMPLE HAS NOW COME TO HIM IN THIS DIVINE ENCOUNTER. HE IS NO LONGER DESPISED, REJECTED OR LABLED THE “WORST OF THE WORST.” JESUS RESTORES HIM SO THAT HIS PLEA FOR MERCY WAS ANSWERED AND THEREFORE, HE CAN EMBRACE IT WITH JOY.
THE DIALOGUE WAS CONVINCING AS WE SEE JESUS WALKING HOME WITH ZACCHAEUS. ONCE THERE, MORE FELLOWSHIP, LIVELY DISCUSSION AND A MEAL IS SHARED. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN VERSES 8 AND 9, WE HEAR THE IMPACT OF JESUS IN HIS LIFE.
ZACCHAEUS HAS A CHANGE OF HEART AND MIND. HE AMENDS FOR HIS PAST AND PRESENTS A COURSE OF ACTION IN WHICH TO PROVE THE SINCERITY OF BOTH HIS CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE. HE GOES FAR AND ABOVE THE RESTITUTIONS THAT THE LAW REQUIRED WHICH PROVED THAT HIS CONVERSION WAS GENUINE.
JESUS AFFIRMS HIS THAT CHANGE BY SAYING “TODAY SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS HOUSE….” SALVATION CAME TO ZACCHAEUS, NOT BECAUSE HE DI D GOOD DEEDS, BUT BECAUSE HE TRULY BELIEVED IN JESUS AND SET ASIDE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT GET IN THE WAY OF LOVING AND OBEYING HIM WITH AL LHIS HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH.
JESUS PROCLAIMED IN VERSE 10: “FOR THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THE LOST.” LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND. LOVE NEVER FAILS. EPHESIANS 4:2-3, 32, “BE COMPLETELY HUMBLE AND GENTLE; BE PATIENT, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE…BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS IN CHRIST GOD FORGAVE YOU.”
THAT IS THE ESSENCE BEHIND MY “ZACCHAEUS PRINCIPLE!” IT IS TH ENDURING PATIENCE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT WORKS, AT FIRST, TO GET “ZACCHAEUS” (UNBELIEVERS) TO DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO COME “DOWN, OUT OF THE TREE.”
WE GET THEM “DOWN, OUT OF THE TREE” BY APPROACHING THEM IN FRIENDSHIP, COMPASSION, AND WILLINGNESS TO EARN THEIR TRUST BY ASSOCIATING WITH THEM AND ENGAGING THEM IN CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR FAITH AND THE LOVE OF JESUS.
IT IS TAKING INTITIATIVE TO SHOW INTEREST IN WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE IN LIFE. SHOWING GENUINE CARE AND COMPASSION FOR ONE’S NEIGHBOR, MEETING FELT-NEEDS, AND SHOWING A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR TO GAIN TRUST.
ONE THING: DON’T BE IN A HURRY. THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY WE MUST “WIN THEM” ON THE FIRST ENCOUNTER. WE ARE NOT CALLED TO WIN DEBATES OR ARGUMENTS EITHER. BACK OFF WHEN YOU SENSE RESISTANCE, BUT FIND NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE LATER.
ROMANS 10:13-15, “FOR “EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” BUT HOW CAN THEY CALL ON HIM TO SAVE THEM UNLESS THEY BELIEVE IN HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE IN HIM IF THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY HEAR ABOUT HIM UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS THEM? AND HOW WILL ANYONE GO AND TELL THEM WITHOUT BEING SENT? THAT IS WHY THE SCRIPTURES SAY, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF MESSENGERS WHO BRING GOOD NEWS!”
BE THE HANDS, FEET, AND VOICE THAT PROCLAIMS TO OTHERS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN COME TO SALVATION FOUND IN JESUS! LIVE IN SUCH A WAY, THE ZACCHAEUS PRINCIPLE, THAT CONVINCES PEOPLE TO “CLIMB DOWN OUT OF THE SYCAMORE TREE” AND INTO THE SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
